My daughter goes to a classical school.
In kindergarten, she was memorizing poetry, learning to read and write, and even singing songs in latin.
One of the things about classical education though is that it’s pretty low on technology, which in a lot of ways, I support (especially in the younger grades).
But the tension I struggle with is that we live in a tech-saturated world.
I'm super grateful that I was getting typing lessons as early as 3rd grade when I was a kid. And even building basic HTML websites by middle school.
I don't want to take the approach where our kids avoid technology completely, but I also want to be super mindful of HOW we introduce technology and computers, particularly ANYTHING with an internet connection.
So I decided to have my daughter start playing some coding games as an intro to the computer.
Here's what I did.
How I set it up
I had an old Chromebook lying around that I never used.
I got it out, created a login for her with the Gmail account we had reserved when she was born, and set it up so she could literally do nothing except access the apps and websites I pre-approve.
Right now she only has access to one website: Code.org
The great thing about Code.org is that you can create a parent account for yourself and a child account for your kid. And all the games and exercises are built right in with tutorial videos, hints when they need it, etc.
In other words, YOU don't need to know how to code in order for your kids to be able to do the exercises.
Plus code.org is completely free.
Why coding at 5?
It sounds wild, but Code.org has fundamentals of computer science for all grade levels, even kindergarten.
Everything is block-based, so your kid doesn’t need to be a fluent reader yet.
She’s learning to think algorithmically:
- “Move the character forward 3 spaces.”
- “Turn left.”
- “Repeat that 5 times.”
Within a week, she was starting to play around with loops instead of just dragging “move forward” five times in a row.
And she would get sooooo stoked when she solved a puzzle.
Not to mention she’s also learning:
- how to use a trackpad (she actually prefers it over a mouse now)
- how to minimize Chrome and come back to her tab
- how to self-regulate (“I think I’m done for today” usually comes after 45 minutes)
Takeaways for WFH dads
This experience has reminded me of a bigger idea: not all screen time is created equal.
Here’s the framework I’m using in regards to screen time / computers:
- Curate the tech → Give them access to one intentional tool (for us, that’s Code.org) and lock down everything else as appropriate by age.
- Keep it creative → Focus on activities that CREATE something, not just consuming.
- Watch for self-regulation → Notice when they’ve had enough. My daughter usually calls it quits after 45 minutes on her own, which shows me she’s learning to balance tech with rest. If your child struggles with this, consider getting a small Time Timer to have next to the computer so they visually see how much time they have left.
- Make it connective → On afternoons she’s home early or during the summer when she's out of school, we’ll “co-work.” We'll go to a coffee house, get some coffee (and juice) and she'll be on Code.org while I'm working on my work computer. (She also brings books, crayons, etc. so she isn't on the computer the whole time)
Screen time doesn’t have to be the enemy. When it’s curated and purposeful, it can be a valuable skill you give your kids the opportunity to learn.
If we don’t guide them into the tech world intentionally, then the Instagrams and TikToks of the world will be happy to take on that responsibility.
If you want to check code.org out, it's completely free and here's a walkthrough on how to set up an account for your kid and link it to your parent account.
Recommendation of the week
Cal Newport is the author of Deep Work, Digital Minimalism, and Slow Productivity. I didn't know he had a podcast until recently and have been really enjoying it. It's all about productivity as knowledge workers (ie. people who work on computers) in the modern age.
He is surprisingly funny; most of his books don't really showcase that side of his personality. A lot of the show is answering listener questions which I've found really helpful.
One interesting episode was called 'I want work/life balance. Am I doomed to mediocrity.' He explores the tension between wanting to excel in your work while also wanting to be present with your family. I'm considering writing a whole newsletter on my thoughts on that one!
What about you?
Would love to hear your thoughts on teaching technology skills to your kids, particularly when they're little and how you've approached it.
Email me at thom@wfhdads.com and let me know. I read and respond to all of them.
Thanks again for being a part of this community!
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Thom Gibson
Founder of WFH Dads
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